Farmers in Mallorca are offering home delivery this year, but say customers are ordering less food because only allow 6 diners can get together for Christmas dinner, according to Pollença Payesa Cooperative President, Martí Solivellas.
He also revealed that there's been a steady drip of cancellations for orders of lamb and suckling pig for Christmas and New Year because of the coronavirus restrictions.
Home Delivery
The Pollensa Cooperative launched its home delivery service during the coronavirus lockdown and has kept it going ever since, delivering an average of 60 orders per week, but at the end of last week orders slumped by nearly 50% and orders for this Thursday and Friday are much lower than usual.
At the Pollensa Cooperative, home-made, uncooked pork costs 65 euros, lamb costs 75 euros and customers can also buy half a lamb for 55 euros.
Suckling pigs are being sold in markets for 49 euros each, which is 5 euros less than last year and lamb is 7.50 euros a kilo and these prices that are expected to hold until Three Kings Day.
Despite the cheaper prices distributors are hardly buying anything because they still have so much meat in their freezers and the new restrictions mean most bars and restaurants won’t be serving Christmas meals.
"The Christmas campaign started well, but now 80% of the restaurants that were planning to open between now and Three Kings Day have decided to close," explains Solivellas.
The Cooperative was counting on selling about 550 lambs this week but they've only sold around 200 and local lamb and piglet producers are facing stiff competition from supermarkets.
“They're selling meat that was frozen in March for bargain prices and we can't compete," he adds.
Porc Negre, or black pork, is only being sold to outlets that specialise in products from the Balearic Islands, but the numbers are disappointing.
Pep Martorell, who owns Rancho Grande and is a member of the Association of Porc Negre Producers is forecasting a 50% drop in annual sales.
Before the pandemic, Rancho Grande was selling a whole roast suckling pig with potatoes and salad including transport to Palma cost 155 euros, or 130 euros if customers picked up the food from Son Serra. The Cooperative is now offering half a suckling pig for 80 euros to accommodate customers who want to buy for less food for the holidays.